Check, Check, & Check

10 Ways to Finally Become an Adult

Grocery shop like a real human

• You could rely on services like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh to bring you food, or you can get your own food like a grown up? “Plan your meals before heading to the store and research recipes that use overlapping ingredients to reduce food waste,” says consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch. “Don’t forget to factor in your social schedule so you don’t buy too much food. Anything that ends up in the trash is just a total waste of money.”

Pick up some big boy clothes

• You need some suits. Not a ton, though: In fact, Dawnn Karen, founder of the Fashion Psychology Institute, says that you only need a few because too many options can be overwhelming. And don't just buy a suit and think you're done -- tailoring is not expensive and will make any off-the-rack job look sartorially superior (you should also know the word "sartorial" because it's fancy).

Make a budget -- and stick to it

• Budgets are boring, but important, like neighborhood zoning meetings. The good news is that you don’t have to spend hours pouring over a spreadsheet. You just need to follow a simple equation, says Woroch: “Half of your income should go toward living expenses including rent, utilities, transportation and groceries,” she says. Then 20 percent goes into savings or paying down debt. And 30 percent goes toward your lifestyle.

Update your resume -- and email address

• Experts disagree about how long your resume should be (one versus two pages) or if it’s okay to include (the super impressive) experience from high school on it (hell yeah, anime club!), but they all say that you should have a professional email address. “No beerlover89@gmail.com or sexytimes69@hotmail.com,” says Joni Holderman, a professional resume writer. “And don’t use your .edu email address from college, unless you went to a very prestigious school like Harvard or Yale.”

Stop making impulse purchases

• That Swagway scooter you bought on a whim? Yeah, that was probably a waste of $500. Stop doing that! “I always suggest someone sleep on it for at least 24 hours before making a major purchase,” says Danny Kofke, a personal finance advisor with Arista Financial Group. “Many times we get caught up in the moment and purchase something we later regret buying. By giving yourself some time to really think about it, you will determine if you really want and/or need that item.” Sigh, guess that complete Huey Lewis and the News discography will have to wait.

Complete list (Thrillist.com)